1. Technical Field
The present invention is a fastener for a strap of a carry bag, piece of luggage, shoe, belt, watch strap, dog collar, necklace, or the like, more particularly, a strap fastener that does not require holes in an end of the strap.
2. Background Information
Little girls often have a difficult time contending with inserting the pin in a shoe buckle into the appropriate tiny hole in a shoe strap. Oftentimes, a parent will find it necessary to punch an extra hole in a daughter""s shoe straps so that the shoes will accommodate her narrow feet, for example. A parent or caregiver may also find himself attempting to repair a hole that has ripped through the shoe strap. There need be no concern over the placement and number of holes in the shoe straps of the present invention, since holes in the straps are not required. With the fastener of the present invention, a girl need only pass the strap over her instep and through the retainer member of the fastener, then grasp a nut and twist it to fasten the strap. Shoes with fasteners according to the present invention will accommodate a girl with a narrow or small foot, a wide or large foot, or one foot larger than the other.
The same is true of the other embodiments of the present invention. This fastener can be used as part of a belt that can accommodate an expanding or shrinking waist without concern over the location and number of holes in the belt. It can be easier to use than, and provides an alternative to, a conventional belt buckle. The present fasteners provide an almost infinite number of settings.
A purse with a strap fastener according to this invention can be carried as a shoulder bag, or as a handbag, as desired by the user. The length of the purse strap can quickly and easily be shortened or lengthened using the present fastener. The present fastener with a strap or scarf can also be employed in a crisscross necklace that can convert to a ladies waist or hip belt.
Finally, a collar for a dog or other pet having a fastener according to the present invention can grow with the dog, since fit is not dependent on whether the holes on a conventional pet collar are positioned correctly for that particular pet. A collar having a fastener according to the present invention can fit around a puppy""s neck, as well as the neck of an adult dog, depending only on the length of the collar strap. The pet owner need not stand in the store at the dog collar display attempting to recall how big his or her pet""s neck is. A dog, or pet, collar having the present fastener need not be pierced, since the present fastener does not require that the strap have holes. A collar which includes the fastener of the present invention can be custom-fit around the neck of the user""s pet. These and other embodiments including the versatile fastener of the present invention are possible.
The present invention is a fastener for a strap having a looped end and an end opposite to the looped end. The fastener includes:
(a) a plate member having a front face and a rear face, and comprising a central threaded opening between the front and rear faces;
(b) a retainer member fixedly attached to the plate member and including an abutment portion disposed in spaced relation to the rear face of the plate member behind the threaded opening, wherein the free end portion of the strap is received between the abutment portion and the plate member;
(c) attachment means for attaching the plate member to the looped end of the strap; and
(d) a connector having a threaded post portion received by the correspondingly threaded opening of the plate member in adjustable relation thereto, and having a remote end engageable with the free end portion of the strap to clampingly engage the strap against the abutment portion, the connector including an enlarged, integrally formed head. Also included is a necklace which can double as a belt. The necklace/belt includes the fastener and a strap.